Before-and-After Kitchen Makeovers

When Nadie NeJame, a real estate agent in Washington, D.C., decided to update the one in her 1914 Foursquare Colonial, she knew exactly how to express her wishes to her interior designer, Christopher Patrick.  “What I craved was something classic—nothing super trendy that would go out of style in 10 years. And I wanted white. If you can see the dirt, you know it’s time to clean it!”

A new island doubles as a buffet, and the statement paint coat on the base cabinets and walnut top make it the focal point of the room. Inspired by history, NeJame selected handmade glazed subway tile, marble countertops, and more traditional cabinet doors—Shaker style with bead detailing.

Previously, the kitchen lacked functionality. It’s a jutting island and awkwardly placed refrigerator simply made no sense.

These homeowners reconfigured the kitchen, abandoning upper cabinets, lightening walls and floors with paint, and designing a refrigerator to mimic rich wood furniture. They also straightened out the island, creating a more functional space. A Viking range in a custom shade of blue—and surrounding lower cabinets in the same hue—added a bold pop of color, and takes this white kitchen from average to extraordinary. 

Southern Living Editor Jessica Thuston’s family’s lackluster kitchen hadn’t been touched since the 1960s.

Although she loved the size and basic layout, Jessica said that “everything else had to go.” She gave the room modern-day appeal by replacing the windows, relocating the fridge and surrounding it with floor-to-ceiling cabinets for a built-in look, and eliminating upper cabinets. She saved on custom-built cabinets by installing stock cabinets, and splurged on natural limestone counters for a luxe look.

When Susan and Jeff Johnson purchased their four-bedroom cottage in Nashville, Tennessee, they wanted to make it contemporary but still livable for their growing family. They teamed with designer Gen Sohr to create a stylish look with family-friendly functionality.

By removing the wall with a pass-through window, Susan opened the room to the adjacent living area. The new kitchen is sunny, with glass-front doors to counter the lack of natural light. White custom cabinetry and quartz countertops looks similar to marble, without the high price tag or costly maintenance. A sturdy island has plenty of room for cooking, entertaining, and homework.

Before the renovation, this quaint breakfast room was actually the family’s den.

Crisp white paint updated and refreshed the fireplace and bookshelves, and the dated mantel was replaced with a modern mirror. The blank canvas was opened with a graphic chevron rug and Roman shades made from an oversized, blue-and-white floral print.

Dated, dreary cabinets and a clunky, bulky refrigerator meant this space was in dire need of a redo.

To avoid moving the entire room’s plumbing, this homeowner kept the kitchen's original footprint. Instead, he splurged on updating the cabinetry, appliances, and fixtures. Replace dated cabinets with easy-to-access open shelving and Shaker-style lower cabinets. Instead of a bulky refrigerator, he installed a two-drawer version in the wet bar area, just across from the kitchen, placing prominence on cocktails rather than dessert.

Shannon and Ted Holt were faced with a common dilemma: Their kitchen had good space and had been recently updated, but still, it just didn’t suit their style or tastes. The couple called on Birmingham designer Melanie Pounds, who suggested a few easy tweaks to make it a more cohesive, functional space for the family.

Melanie updated the kitchen by removing the top cabinets and installing open limestone shelving. A metallic tile backsplash, modern pendant lights, a sculptural range hood, and some conversation-piece barstools complete the renovated kitchen’s look.

The original dining room had great natural light, but the arrangement was far too formal for the family's needs.

The formal dining room was replaced by a more casual, inviting spot for everyday family meals. A series of freestanding closets with upholstered doors add a unique storage space; the center one opens to reveal a clever home office nook.

Cindy and Thomas Gallion’s dark and dingy Alabama rancher was in great need of an enlightening experience.

The Gallions opened up the floor plan by taking down the two walls that defined the kitchen, opening up the kitchen to the living room and family room. They also replaced a window with cabinetry, and added a large, hardworking island for storage and function. Their most important improvement was coating the walls in a warm, white paint.

This cramped kitchen didn't work for Ashley Putnam and her husband, but they didn’t want to add additional square feet to their home’s overall floor plan.

The homeowners demolished their mudroom to add 200 square feet to the kitchen. The kitchen was stripped down to its studs and rebuilt into a functional floor space. Against a backdrop of white shelves and stainless steel appliances, they added a butcher-block topped island to add warmth and soften the industrial edge.

“The old kitchen was a mess,” says Lindsey Ellis Beaty, who shares the space with her husband, Kevin, and their two boys, Walker and Beckett. “There was a large piece of plywood in the middle of the floor where an island had once been, the refrigerator floated on an empty wall, and the black tile countertops felt dingy.” After spending an entire year researching, compiling tear sheets, and planning the space, Lindsey devised a manageable renovation plan.

After two years of living with a dreary kitchen in her otherwise sunny 1930s Birmingham home, it was finally time for Beatty to create the cheerful space she had always envisioned with soft neutrals and bold pops of color.

Before, the breakfast nook had plenty of light, but it lacked the warmth and comfort you’d want while enjoying a cozy cup of coffee.

Suzanne transformed the nook into a cozy area with sturdy built-in benches that mimic the kitchen cabinetry and also add extra storage. To personalize the space, she placed slipcovered armchairs on one side of the metal bistro table, and draped colorful decor above the benches on the other.

This older home’s classic charm was lost in a kitchen hidden by dark walls and corners that didn’t let light flow.

Designer Suzanne Kasler painted everything a serene white, and replaced the cabinetry. With Design Galleria’s Matthew Quinn, she conceptualized the floor-to-ceiling cabinets and a handsome island. Glass door fronts lighten the main wall. To add texture to her monochromatic color scheme, she installed white marble countertops, a white tile backsplash, and neutral barstools.

When Bill and Jennifer Gilmer bought their circa-1928 Bethesda bungalow, its charm was long past and its shortcomings were undeniable. So they reframed the roof, and set out to work.

Jennifer, a Kitchen Designer by trade, used a few tricks of her own to blend the newly taller kitchen with the design of the adjoining living area. She chose an oversize hood above the cooktop for a bold statement, and chose a dining table that rolls underneath the built-in island for dinner parties.

Before, this kitchen was cramped, awkward, and completely cut off from the rest of the house.

When remodeling, the homeowners had three goals: add as much storage as possible, create the illusion of space without adding a single square foot, and stick to the budget without sacrificing style. She created a galley, installed floor-to-ceiling cabinetry, and went with a simple, all-white look to make the space seem bigger.

When she first bought her home, Steele Marcoux admits that the1920s Birmingham cottage was “blah.”

Marcoux painted most surfaces gray or white to upgrade outdated finishes, and added chinoiserie lamps found at a flea market for vintage décor. She mixed cherished hand-me-downs with modern appliances for a function and detailed kitchen.

Lynn and Bobby Boland felt confined in their Missouri kitchen. They wanted a complete overhaul, but couldn’t add even an inch of square footage. Designer Amie Corley took on the challenge.

Corely knocked down a wall of awkward cabinetry to unite the kitchen, dining room, and living room to form one large, free-flowing area. She lifted the ceiling up to the roofline to let in more natural light, laid fresh flooring, and used bright paint colors to put a modern twist on the functional kitchen.

When Caroline and Andy Roeser purchased their Houston home, they had a vision. Their windowless galley kitchen’s cold dreariness did not fit their vision, so the couple wasted no time renovating it to become a sunny, open space.

The Roesers made the transformation by creating a functional layout, adding windows for natural light, choosing timeless materials, and adding pops of color. Two large-scale lanterns in a verdigris finish add traditional polish while still freshening up the space.

The tucked-away kitchen was too dark and outdated for Southern Living prop stylist, Heather Chadduck, but had good bones.

Heather brightened the space with a backsplash made of marble subway tiles, and installed a grid of dimmable light fixtures, creating versatile lighting for any occasion. To emphasize the gray tones in the floor, she chose durable, hand-poured, concrete countertops.

The existing 1980s-era kitchen was dark, awkwardly situated, and full of dated appliances.

Charleston, SC interior designer Melissa Ervin removed the tile floor and replaced it with French antique oak. White painted cabinets topped with marble bring major class. A new range and custom hood flanked by cabinetry makes the once-empty center wall the new focal point of the room.

The original kitchen in this historic Charleston home looked dark and dreary, and didn’t fit the home’s fresh decor.

The owners wanted their existing kitchen to look like it had been added onto the home in the 1920s. They chose shiplap walls, eliminated the upper cabinets, installed mahogany countertops, and unlacquered brass cabinet hardware and sink fixtures. They ripped up the 1950s floor and laid a new pine floor on the diagonal, sealed and primed it, then applied two coats of high-gloss gray paint.

The kitchen layout fit the family’s needs, but the color and accessories desperately needed an update.

Keeping the existing cabinetry, interior designer Lindsey Meadows looked to give this cook space a fresh feel by changing the details. Soft gray paint coats the cabinets, making the kitchen’s palette match with the rest of the house’s. Lindsey replaced the stainless steel backsplash with darkly-grouted subway tile, and gave the existing barstools a face-lift with simple slipcovers made of durable fabric.

This nook needed a complete overhaul, including completely getting rid of the dark furniture and bulky chandelier.

Creating a sunny nook from this dim room meant completely starting over. Birmingham interior designer, Lindsey Meadows, chose a glossy table that reflects light, and added a contemporary candelabrum. She surrounded the table with rustic chairs and an upholstered bench in shades of white with varying textures.

After a hurricane flooded architect Wayne Good’s 110-year-old Chesapeake Bay cottage, he seized the opportunity to design his dream fish-camp style kitchen in just over 150 square feet. Prior to renovation, the kitchen was on the opposite side of the room; Wayne moved it.

An architect by trade and an expert cook by hobby, Wayne packed his tiny kitchen with efficient, space-saving ideas. As a nod back to the cottage’s first owner, who used repurposed materials to build the home, Wayne repurposed the cottage’s exterior siding on the kitchen ceiling, flipping it over to expose the richly-worn wood.

Fussy cabinetry and a hanging pot rack cluttered the space.

A burst of citrus a surefire way to add energy. Just ask designer Melissa Haynes, who redesigned this kitchen for a pair of doctors with a busy, on-call lifestyle. After living in the Fayetteville, Arkansas, house for about a year, the couple was ready to lighten and modernize their Country French kitchen, but they needed help. Melissa found a way to simplify and open the crowded yet well-built kitchen without doing a complete gut job.

Here, the white kitchen just didn't suit to the homeowners' love of bright and bold color.

The homeowners replaced their lower cabinets and gave the uppers new life with glass doors and brass hardware. They drenched the space in a deep, dark green with a glossy, durable finish. A collection of white dishes, an impressive La Cornue range, and a white subway-tile backsplash bring neutral balance.